Camille (1936)
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91% of critics liked it
(11 reviews) -
83% of users liked it
(4,196 ratings)
Greta Garbo enjoyed one of her greatest triumphs in this glossy adaptation of Alexandre Dumas' oft-filmed romantic tragedy. Here, Garbo stars as Marguerite Gauthier, who is born into humble circumstances but in time becomes Dame aux Camille, one of the most glamorous courtesans in Paris. Camille… More Greta Garbo enjoyed one of her greatest triumphs in this glossy adaptation of Alexandre Dumas' oft-filmed romantic tragedy. Here, Garbo stars as Marguerite Gauthier, who is born into humble circumstances but in time becomes Dame aux Camille, one of the most glamorous courtesans in Paris. Camille is kept by the wealthy and powerful Baron de Varville (Henry Daniell), but after many years of earning a good living from her beauty without finding true love, Camille's heart is stolen by Armand (Robert Taylor), a handsome but slightly naive young man who doesn't know how she came by her fortune. Armand is just as attracted to Camille as she is to him, and she's prepared to give up the Baron and his stipend to be with Armand. However, Armand's father (Lionel Barrymore) begs Camille to turn away from his son, knowing her scandalous past could ruin his future. Realizing the painful wisdom of this, Camille rejects Armand, who continues to pursue her even as Camille contracts a potentially fatal case of tuberculosis. Remarkably, even though this was one of Garbo's greatest commercial and critical successes, she would make only three more films before her retirement in 1941; Camille, however, would be filmed several more times following this version (most memorably by elegant sexploitation auteur Radley Metzger in 1969's Camille 2000). ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Directed By
- George Cukor
- Written By
- Zoë Akins, Frances Marion, James Hilton
- Genres
- Drama, Romance, Classics
- In Theaters
- Jan 1, 1936 Wide
- Studio
- MGM Home Entertainment
Critic Reviews
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Frank S. Nugent, New York Times
Miss Garbo has interpreted Marguerite Gautier with the subtlety that has earned for her the title, 'first lady of the screen.'
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Adam Lippe, Examiner.com
Garbo seems to be dying of an unspecified movie disease where star power is more apparent than actual illness. Issues of plausibility do not, however, get in the way of the snappy dialogue, which is a big surprise for such a standard melodrama.
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Gabe Leibowitz, Film and Felt
The first half is a bit slow and occasionally corny, but the second half, where Marguerite finds herself forced to make decisions instead of coyly putting them off, really picks up.
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Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Garbo gives her most accomplished and touching performance in Cukor's 1937 version of Camille; Robert Taylor is good too as her younger lover.
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Christopher Null, Filmcritic.com
Dreadfully boring romance 'classic' has Garbo as a 1847's French courtesan, trapped in a loveless relationship with a rich man while forsaking her younger, hotter lover.
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Cast
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Greta Garbo
as Marguerite Gauthier/Camille
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Robert Taylor
as Armand Duval
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Lionel Barrymore
as Monsieur Duval
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Elizabeth Allan
as Nichette
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Jessie Ralph
as Nanine
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Henry Daniell
as Baron de Varville
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Lenore Ulric
as Olympe
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Laura Hope Crewes
as Prudence Duvernoy
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Rex O'Malley
as Gaston
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Russell Hardie
as Gustave
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E.E. Clive
as Saint Gaudens
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Douglas Walton
as Henri
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Marion Ballou
as Corinne
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Joan Brodel
as Marie Jeanette
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June Wilkins
as Louise
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Fritz Leiber
as Valentin
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Georgia Caine
as Streetwalker
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Mabel Colcord
as Madame Barjon
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Elspeth Dudgeon
as Attendant
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Effie Ellsler
as Grandma Duval
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Rex Evans
as Companion
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Sibyl Harris
as Georges Sand
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Olaf Hytten
as Croupier
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Joan Leslie
as Marie Jeanette
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Gwendolen Logan
as Governess
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Eily Malyon
as Therese
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Edwin Maxwell
as Doctor
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John Bryan
as De Musset
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Mariska Aldrich
as Friend of Camille
